Machine for folding and stitching fabrics.



PATENTED. DEC. 3, 1907.,

J. A. SHUPELT. MACHINE FOR FOLDING AND STITGHING FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

nu: NORRIS Psrsws co., wAsnmc'roN. c

PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907.

J. A.I'SHUPBLT. I MAGHINB FOR FOLDING AND STITGHING FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Ilsa stripper b ade.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES A. SHUFELT, OF OSWEGO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERIO OONDE, OF OSWEGO,

NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907'.

Application filed March 2311907- Serial No. 364,116.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. SHUFELT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oswego, in the county of Oswego, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Folding and Stitching Fabrics, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in machines for folding and simultaneously stitching the folded portion of the fabric to the body portion of the fabric folded.

The object of my invention is to provide a device whereby a flat fold may be formed irrespective of whether the edge being folded *is straight or curved.

My invention consists in the improvements and arran ement of parts hereinafter shown and descri ed and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing which show one embodiment of my invention :Figure 1 is a top plan view of a presser foot of a sewing machine with my folder applied thereto, showing also the ruffling blade of a ruflling mechanism in operative position. Fig. 2 is a viewsilnilar to Fig. l with the ruflling blade out of action. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of a sewing machine showing my device applied thereto. Fig. 6 is a View of the parts shown in Fig. 5 from the opposite side. Fig. 7 is a front view of the parts shown in F ig. 5.

In carrying out my invention, l have provided the presser foot 1 of the sewing machine with a folder 2. Said folder 2 is carried by an arm 3 formed with the presser foot. I also provide the presser foot with a stripper blade 5. Said stripper blade is located within the folder and. has its inner edge 6 located close to the vertical portion 7 of the folder. The folder as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and -11, extends underneath the stripper blade up across the inner edge of said stripper blade, and over the top of the same. This stripper blade extends forward to a position closely adjacent the needle as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The strip to be folded is inserted underneath the stripper blade 5 and the folded ed e is carried up over on top of the It will thus be seen that as the folded strip passes to the stitching mechanism the folded edge is separate from the body portion of the fabric folded in front and up to the point of stitching, and said folded edge will lie flat upon the stationary stripper blade with its edge unturned and in contact with the edge guide formed by the boss 2 on the upper side of the stripper blade and the projecting portion 1 of the presser foot to which said boss is secured, as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 7.

The mechanism above described .will fold the edge of a piece of fabric and the same will be stitched to the body portion of the same by a line of stitching which passes through the extreme edge of the fold. When, however, it is desired to stitch a curved edge in order that said edge may be laid flat and smooth, it is necessary to gather the extreme edge of the fold on the convex portions of the curve and to stretch the extreme edge of the concave portions of the fold. To accomplish the gathering of the extreme edge of the fold when desired, I have provided a mechanism which may be thrown into and out of operation when desired so that when the convex portion of a curve is to be stitched, the ruflling mechanism is thrown into operation and when the convex portion has passed, the ruffling mechanism is thrown out of operation.

The ruflling mechanism shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, which I have selected comprises an arm 8 which carries a ruffling blade 9 at its lower end. This arm 8 is pivotally supported by a stud 10 carried by a bracket 11 formed as a part of the presser foot 1 of the machine. 'Pivotally su ported on the stud 10 is a rock lever 13. One end of said rock lever 13 engages a spring 14 which is mounted upon the stud 10. The other end of the rock lever 13 extends downward and is deflected inward forming a cam face 15. The ruffling blade supporting arm 8 is rovidcd with a lug 16, which carries a threat ed screw 17 having a stop nut 18. This screw 17 at its inner end is arranged to contact with the rock lever 13. the rock lever 13 is oscillated the rufliing blade 9 will also be oscillated. The cam portion 15 of the rock lever 13 is so disposed normally as to be engaged by the shank of the screw 21 carried by the needle bar 19. A lever 20 ivoted to the bracket 11 has a cam shaped end 21 which may be brought It will thus, be noted that as into engagement with the rock lever '13 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. When the lever 20 I is raised the rock lever 13 will be depressed I vex portion of the thus moving the cam face 15 out of the path of movement on the stud 21 of the needle bar. By raising and lowering the lever 20, the operator may thus throw the ruffling mechanism into and out of operation. This rufliing mechanism which I have described is not novel with me, and forms no part of my invention except as it is one element of the new combination and arrangement of parts which I have brought together to secure the new result described.

From the above description, it will-be obvious that when a strip has passed through the folder and over the stripper blade that said stripper will be folded and stitched near the edge of the fold to the body portion of the fabric being folded. When the confold'is reached, the ruffler is thrown into operation which will gather the extreme inner edge of the fold only as the ruffler is made narrow at its forward end and arranged in line with the needle of the machine. Simultaneously with the gathering of this edge of the fold the same is stitched to the body portion of the fabric. After the convexed portion of the curve is passed, the ruffler is thrown out of action and the straight portion if that should follow, is folded and stitched to the body portion of the fabric. When a concave curved portion in the edge to be folded reaches the stitching mechanism, the free edge of the fold is raised by the operator into contact with the upper edge of the folder as shown in Fig. 2 and a slight tension placed thereby on said edge. The result of this tension on the edge which is being folded is to stretch the same so that a flat fold is laid and stitched to the body portion of the fabric, notwithstanding the fact that the edge being folded is concave.

It will be noted that by the arrangement of parts above described the fabric is folded over on top of the body portion so that the folded edge while being stitched is in plain view of the operator.

The rufiiing mechanism herein shown and described also the folder and stripper blade are not of themselves novel with me, and are herein shown only as a means of illustration, it being understood that my invention consists in the relation of these arts to each other and that any other ru ing mechanism .of any shape of folder may be substituted for the ones herein illustrated without departing from the spirit of my invention.- Having thus particularly described my 1nvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sewing machine, including in combination, a presser foot, stitch-forming mechanism, a ruflling mechanism, means under the control of the operator for rendering said ruffling mechanism inoperative, said ruffling mechanism including a stationary stripper blade, means for supporting said stationary stripper blade so a fabric may be passed underneath the same and have its edge folded over flat on to said stripper blade, and said folded edge thereby separated from the body portion of said fabric and ruffled when desired, a folder extending underneath said stripper blade around the free edge of the same and over said stripper blade, the entire upper space formed by the folder being substantially parallel to the stripper blade, whereby the fabric is folded over fiat on said stripper blade with the edge unturned, and an edge guide for the edge of the folded portion of the fabric arranged above said stripper blade.

2. A sewing machine, including in combination, a presser foot, stitch-forming mech anism, a ruffling mechanism, means under the control of the operator for rendering said ruffling mechanism inoperative, said rufiiing mechanism including a stationary stripper blade, means for supporting said stationary stripper bladeso a fabric may be passed underneath the same and have its edge folded over flat on to said stripper blade, and said folded edge thereby separated from the body portion of said fabric and ruffled when desired, a folder extending underneath said stripper blade around the free edge of the same and over said stripper blade, the entire upper space formed by the folder being substantially parallel to the stripper blade, whereby the fabric is folded over flat on said stripper blade with the edge unturned, and an edge guide for the edge of the folded portion of the fabric arranged above said stripper blade, and means against which the edge of the folded portion may be drawn and stretched when said rufller is inoperative.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEO. NOYES BURT.

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